


Keys to the Kingdom

by idrilhadhafang



Series: The Good Timeline [6]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, The Mandalorian (TV)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Arranged Marriage, F/M, Moff Gideon is Evil, Post-Canon, The Mandalorian (TV) Season 2 Spoilers, implied PTSD, in a weird way
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-19
Updated: 2021-01-18
Packaged: 2021-03-17 05:29:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 706
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28843872
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/idrilhadhafang/pseuds/idrilhadhafang
Summary: Din Djarin finds a third option to resolve the Darksaber issue — an arranged marriage between him and Bo-Katan. As they get closer, however, they start to realize this marriage might not just be for political reasons after all.
Relationships: Din Djarin/Bo-Katan Kryze
Series: The Good Timeline [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2107791
Comments: 4
Kudos: 21
Collections: Darkpilot Sentence Starters, Darkpilot YouTube





	Keys to the Kingdom

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I own nothing.
> 
> Author’s Notes: My God, what have I done?

They’re still looking for a way to resolve the Darksaber situation. Din Djarin, Child of the Watch, “Mando” — to say that he’s frustrated is one way to put it. Apparently, he’s pretty much stuck with this ridiculous thing, the thing that Moff Gideon threatened Grogu with...which really does make it worse. 

“I don’t know why you’re trying to find a loophole,” Bo-Katan says, exasperated. They’re on Din’s ship, going through databases, anything Din and Bo-Katan can get their hands on. “The Darksaber’s yours. You won it.”

”Technically I won it because Gideon was a filthy coward.”

”There’s that,” Bo-Katan says. “But you also won it through skill.”

”I’m not equipped to be Mandalore.”

”It’s not like you can just throw it away,” Bo-Katan says. 

It’s then that an idea strikes Din. An idea that...no, it’s ridiculous. It’s absolutely stupid. When Cara had teased him about settling down and starting a family, this wasn’t exactly what he had in mind. 

He has to try other options first. “Bo,” he says, “Is there a way for someone to share the Darksaber without...”

”Without what, exactly?” Bo-Katan says. She sounds impatient. Like she wants him to cut through the bantha shit and just get to it.

”Being married.”

Bo-Katan stares at him like he’s spontaneously turned into a mudhorn. Then, “Din, no offense, but...one, I said you could have the Darksaber. Two, when I wanted to get the Darksaber back from Gideon, this wasn’t what I had in mind. Three...don’t you have that Omera lady back at — ”

”She’s not my fiancée.” Din thinks that he might as well clear that up, at least. 

“And Cara?”

“She’s...like my sister.”

Bo-Katan sighs. “It wouldn’t have to be a...real marriage, would it? That’s what I’m thinking. It’s just political.”

”Yeah.” What is he getting himself into?

”I’ll have to think about this.”

”Go ahead. I don’t blame you.”

***

If Bo-Katan is to be perfectly honest, she does want to restore Mandalore to its former glory. She can remember so much of what Moff Gideon did, reducing her people to small numbers, reducing her home to a wasteland. Everything...gone. 

She remembers Din beating Gideon. Gideon’s sneer as Din tried giving Bo-Katan the Darksaber. She remembers how far she was willing to go in order to get the Darksaber. Just to restore glory to Mandalore. 

She remembers Mandalore, before. Her sister’s rule of it wasn’t perfect. Karabast, there were some decisions that she made that made no sense, things like trying to make the Mandalorians pacifists, things that went against their basic nature. 

But it was better than what Gideon turned it into. A wasteland. She doubts she’ll ever forget fighting there, during the Purge. 

Bo-Katan exhales. It’s a soft thing, tired. She never thought she would be getting married, at least like this. For Mandalore, she’ll do it. Just to restore it to its former glory. 

***

Din is already waiting outside when Bo-Katan exits. She’s determined, her face set. In her own way, Bo-Katan loves Mandalore. Enough to make any sort of sacrifice for it. 

“I’ll do it,” she says. “For Mandalore. And so we won’t have to fight each other."

Din sighs. He supposes there is no turning back, in the end. “We’ll have to tell the others.” They won’t believe it. The strange compromise that they’ve had to make just to resolve their own conflict over the Darksaber. 

Din almost doesn’t want to go back to Mandalore. It’s a dead world, wasted by a megalomaniac that’s currently awaiting trial for war crimes. He doesn’t know how he can possibly _be_ Mandalore. 

“I can help you,” Bo-Katan says. “There’s certain ways that you can rule Mandalore. Certain ways you can make things right. I believe in you. I know you can do it.”

”I believe in you too.” They can found a marriage on that, can’t they, just believing in each other? They can found a marriage on knowing that they’re going to do the right thing. On comradeship. They don’t have to be head-over-heels in love with each other. Bo-Katan isn’t his soulmate. But she is his friend. 

Marriage starts on some degree of friendship, doesn’t it?

”That’s what matters,” Bo-Katan says. “Doesn’t it?”


End file.
